History

The village was originally owned by the Forestdale Manufacturing Company, a textile mill, later purchased by John Slater & Co. The Mansfield & Lamb scythe-shop manufactured sycthes and later tools in Forestdale starting in 1824, and during the American Civil War manufactured swords and sabres for Union Forces. The mills used water power from the Branch River to power their equipment.

Further reading

Walter Nebiker, The History of North Smithfield (Somersworth, NH: New England History Press, 1976).